Screw-on type closure for a bubbler tube

ABSTRACT

A SCREW-ON TYPE CLOSURE FOR A BUBBLER TUBE HAVING INTEGRAL INLET AND OUTLET TUBES. AN ELONGATED FUBING IS SEATED IN ONE OF THE INLET AND OUTLET TUBES AND EXTENDS INTO THE BODY OF THE BUBBLER TUBE.

May 28, 1974 E. E. FLECK SCREW-ON TYPE CLOSURE FOR A BUBBLEB TUBE Filed May '7, 1973 Mill-ll I i w United States Patent Olfice 3,813,223 Patented May 28, 1974 3, 13,223 SCREW-N TYPE CLOSURE FOR A BUBBLER TUBE Elmer E. Fleck, Gibsonia, Pa., assignor to Chemed Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed May 7, 1973, Ser. No. 357,860 Int. Cl. B01] 3/14; B65d 47/32 US. Cl. 23-259 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A screw-on type closure for a bubbler tube having integral inlet and outlet tubes. An elongated tubing is seated in one of the inlet and outlet tubes and extends into the body of the bubbler tube.

This invention relates to closures and particularly to a screw-on type cap for a bubbler tube used in gas effluent analyzers.

There are many types of closures for test tubes and the like. Usually, they comprise a stopper of rubber or similar material which is force-fitted into the open end of the tube. Sometimes, the stopper includes holes to permit fluid to enter and exit the body of the tube. However, such a stopper is not completely satisfactory since fluid can leak between the stopper and the tube.

Recently, screw-on caps have been used to close tubes of the test tube or bubbler type since they are easier to use and provide a leakproof closure. Where it is desirable to provide means for fluid to enter and exit the screw-on caps, holes have been made in the caps. There is available a plastic closure, marketed under the trademark Nalgene, which includes two holes and has at least one tube and a nozzle or pour spout. However, integral inlet and outlet tubes according to the invention have not been provided.

A two-hole screw-on type closure according to the present invention is especially useful for bubbler tubes in which fluid such as air is introduced into the inlet tube of the cap, through extending tubing into a fluid to be bubbled and withdrawn through the outlet. When the operation is completed, the two-hole cap may be removed and replaced by a solid screw-on cap closure for transporting the fluid to another location or for storage.

Briefly, the invention comprises a screw-on type closure for a bubbler tube having integral inlet and outlet tubes. An elongated tubing is seated in one of the inlet and outlet tubes and extends into the body of the bubbler tube. The closure and bubbler tube body are preferably made of plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and the bubbler tubing is glass. An additional hole or holes may be provided in the closure, for example to enable a fluid sample to be removed from the bubbler without removing the closure.

A complete understanding of the invention will be obtained from a perusal of the following disclosure taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the bubbler tube;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the closure;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the closure; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines IV-IV of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a bubbler tube 1 comprises a body 2 having a screw-on closure 3. The body is elongated and closed at one end. The other end of the body is open and has external threads 4. The closure is a screwon type cap having a base 5 with a peripheral extending skirt 6. The skirt has internal threads 7 which engage threads 4 for securing the closure to the body. The base also includes a circular sealing ridge 8 which fits the top of the body 2 to provide a leakproof seal. There are means, such as vertical ribs 9, for grasping and turning the cap into threaded engagement with the body.

Two tubes 10 and 11 extend through the base of the cap and are integral therewith. The tubes are approximately the same length above the base; however, tube 10 is substantially longer than tube 11 below the base. One of the tubes may be used as an inlet and the other as an outlet for the bubbler tube.

The inlet tube 11 includes a tapered bore 12 for securing an end 13 of a bubbler tubing 14. The tubing is forcefitted within the bore. The upper portion of the tube 11 has a radially inwardly extending shoulder 15 which reduces the diameter of the inlet and serves as a stop against which the end of the tubing seats for preventing it from being forced completely through the inlet tube. The stop also determines the extent to which the tubing extends into the body of the bubbler tube.

The outlet tube 10 is of substantially constant crosssection.

The openings in the closure may be capped with conventional plastic caps or the closure can be removed and replaced with a standard screw-on type cap having no openings, for transportation or storage of the contents of the bubbler tube. The closure is leakproof; it is easy to manufacture and to assemble. It is also disposable.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that it may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A screw-on type closure for a bubbler tube comprising a cap having a base and a depending internally threaded-circular skirt, integral inlet and outlet tubes extending through the base, one of the tubes being shorter than the other and including a tapered bore having a radially inwardly extending shoulder on the upper end thereof forming a stop for the upper end for limiting the extent to which a bubbler tubing can be force-fitted in the bore.

2. A closure as set forth in claim 1 in which the closure is made of plastic material.

3. A closure as set forth in claim 1 in which the skirt includes external means for grasping and turning the cap.

4. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base of the cap includes at least one hole in addition to the inlet and outlet tubes.

5. A bubbler tube comprising:

(A) a tubular body being closed at one end and open at the other and external threads surrounding the open end,

(B) a closure having a base with a pair of integral tubes extending through said base and a depending circular skirt being internally threaded for engagement with the threads of the tubular body, one of said tubes being longer than the other below the base and having a tapered bore, and

(C) a bubbler tubing having an upper end force-fitted within the tapered tube and extending into the body of the bubbler tube to a point adjacent the closed end when the closure is completelythreaded in the body in sealing engagement,

(D) said shorter tube having a radially inwardly extending shoulder at its upper end forming a stop for the upper end of the bubbler tubing.

6. A bubbler tube as set forth in claim 5 wherein the closure and body are plastic and the bubbler tubing is glass.

3 4 7. A bubbler tube as set forth in claim 5 wherein the OTHER REFERENCES skirt includes external means for grasping and turning the closure into threaded engagement with the body Sargent-Welch Catalog 119, Sargent-Welch Screntrfic Company, U.S.A., 1971, p. 135.

5 JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Primary Examiner A. TURK, Assistant Examiner References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,071 12/1933 Baxter 215-79 2,141,646 12/1938 Ferguson 23--254R US. Cl. X.R. 2,727,644 12/1955 Giannos 215-79 10 23292; 215-79 

